


beneath midnight skies

by ninwrites



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Has Feelings, Canon Compliant, Communication, Domestic Fluff, Downworlder Politics, Inspired by Fanart, M/M, Pre-Season/Series 03, Short & Sweet, Supportive Magnus Bane, midnight ponderings, sleepless thoughts, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 06:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12698853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninwrites/pseuds/ninwrites
Summary: Alec leans on Magnus for support when stressful thoughts keep him from sleep.





	beneath midnight skies

**Author's Note:**

> so [Anna](http://twitter.com/A_entchen) drew some fantastic [art](https://twitter.com/A_entchen/status/929129096189300736) of Magnus and Alec, and asked if anyone was interested in writing a short fic for it.
> 
> Obviously, I offered because I have no sense of chill and couldn't help myself. The result is this tiny drabble.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

 

Magnus sighs, as he slips his arms into his robe, a silk as dark as the midnight sky pouring light into the empty bedroom. Empty, for Alec is not there, his side of the bed rapidly losing warmth with each second that ticks past.

Magnus thought he owned the monopoly on sleepless nights, but Alec has taken the pedestal for himself tonight - leaving it up to Magnus, to determine why, and help in anyway that might suit.

Magnus makes his way into the lounge, towards the balcony - the wide French doors are pulled open, letting the cool breeze in, air that sweeps around Magnus' ankles as he gets closer.

Alec is standing near the railing, clad in only faded grey sweatpants, his runes stark against his midnight-painted skin, back curved forward. He's blocking himself off from the rest of the world, from Magnus and the warmth of the apartment, lost in the depth of a city that remains awake whilst he is.

His thoughts draw him in so deeply, that Alec doesn't seem to hear the sounds of Magnus' footsteps until Magnus is almost on top of him.

"It's a lovely night." Magnus says, almost conversationally. "Taking in some fresh air?"

Alec speaks out towards the city. "Something like that. I couldn't sleep."

Magnus inches forward, slowly, wrapping his hands around Alec's bare torso - it only takes a moment for Alec to lean back into it, his hands resting atop Magnus' against his abdomen.

"Care to discuss?" Magnus offers, pressing a soft kiss to the underside of Alec's jaw. "I've heard I'm quite a good listener."

Alec smiles, curling his fingers around Magnus'. "That you are, amongst other things." He sighs, deeply, chest rising and sinking with the movement. "I'm starting to wonder if I've blown up too much of the ground beneath me - you said, once, that I'd do that to make things right, but I'm worried all I've managed to accomplish is the removal of my own balance; I've nothing left to stand on."

Magnus ponders over his response, knowing there's something more to Alec's concern than he is truly letting on. "Sometimes, my sweet, the only thing that you need to stand on is your own two feet, for they are what will carry you forward."

Alec shakes his head, the gesture minute, although his point still gets across. "Not if the ground has blown away."

Magnus hums, pressing another kiss to Alec's skin, this time to his cheek. "And what makes you think the ground has disappeared? Are we not on flat-footing now?"

Alec's jaw pulses. "If the Seelie Queen remains out of favour, I don't imagine it will stay that way for long."

Suddenly, it all clicks into place. The events of the previous weeks have finally ended their free-fall, landing now on Alec's shoulders, an immovable weight he feels he must carry, for who else will?

"This is about the Downworlder council," Magnus presumes, knowing that Alec has been thinking of how to start it up again, after the mess that had transpired before Valentine's demise. "You cannot have a Downworlder council without the support of the Downworld, yet you cannot include the Seelies if there is no trust between youl."

Alec rolls his eyes, slumping back against Magnus. "Why is it that doing the right thing seems to be the hardest option, and evil - a far less moral one - the easiest?"

Magnus shrugs, resting his head against Alec's. "Because there are some things, apparently, that must be earnt. Evil doesn't reap many benefits, though, Alexander, it's not a career choice I'd recommend."

"I can't just let relations between Shadowhunters and Downworlders diminish because I've  _stopped trying_  - I don't want to stop just because it got too hard, but I don't know how to hold meetings without the Seelies either." Alec groans, the sound reverberating through his chest. "For all their differences, surely the mundanes have it easier than this?"

Magnus drops a kiss to the curve of Alec's neck, breathing in the undertones of musky sandalwood. "They have problems like ours, of conflict and evil, they're simply without the magic of our world. Both a blessing and a curse, I suppose."

"Stupid balance of the universe." Alec mumbles. "We can't have  _just_  good things."

"I don't know," Magnus glances out at the cityscape ahead of them, the blinking lights and lives that exist without their notice, the beauty of a world living beside their own. "I think you need the darkness to appreciate the light; without experiencing the bad, how can we recognise the good?"

Alec sighs, turning around in Magnus' arms. "This is all too much for me, it's giving me a headache."

"Probably," Magnus smiles in fond amusement. "Because it's past midnight, and you've not had enough sleep to face the bigger questions of the universe."

Alec leans forward, pressing his forehead to Magnus'. "You're probably right," He admits, soft-spoken and warm.

"I think you'll find that I usually am." Magnus bumps his nose against Alec's, pressing a tiny kiss at the corner of Alec's mouth. "I'm quite wise."

"I know, I-" Alec pats Magnus' chest, lethargically, a yawn breaking up his sentence.

Magnus laughs softly, unable to help himself at the sight of something so endearingly sweet. "Let's go back to bed, darling." He suggests. "We can meet up with Luke and Raphael tomorrow, and discuss the future of the Downworlder council when you're alert enough to make smart decisions and not pass out on your feet."

Alec nods, blinking slowly as though that would wake him up. "I like your way of thinking," He mutters, leaning most of his weight against Magnus.

Magnus just holds him, for a few more seconds, basking in a moment free of stress and responsibility, beneath a sky of glittering stars, though nothing could be more beautiful than Alec.

The rest of the world might have problems, demands for them to fix it, to make it better, to do their duty - but none of that matters right now, with Alec's fatigue-heavy smile pressed to Magnus' neck, their arms wound around each other in defiance of space.

Tomorrow is another day; for now, it can wait.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very excited for season 3 - to survive the wait, I'm writing fics (it's a very high possibility that I will write more of these little pieces...)
> 
>  
> 
> links - for those interested:
> 
> Twitter: [ninwrites](https://mobile.twitter.com/ninwrites) for fic stuff/updates/snippets + [malteser_24](https://mobile.twitter.com/malteser_24) for general fandom mess + small threads
> 
> Tumblr: [killjoyrow](http://killjoyrow.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> \- Nin ❤


End file.
